Wednesday, April 8, 2015

Rebekah

Dear Christa—

Rebekah was a schemer. She
might have been beautiful. She and Isaac may have been happy together. It’s
notable that it doesn’t appear Isaac took any additional wives. But she was a
schemer nonetheless.

And, I’d say she came by it
quite naturally from what we see of her brother Laban later.

Rebekah is the impetus and
accomplice when Jacob wrestles the blessing out of Isaac. But, eventually
scheming has a way of turning on us.

It isn’t long after the
misdeed that word comes to Rebekah that Esau plans to kill Jacob, her favorite
child, once his dad is gone. One scheme leads to another, and the next thing we
know she’s packing him off to her brother’s to save his skin.

A master manipulator she
tells Isaac, “I’m disgusted with living because of these Hittite women. If
Jacob takes a wife from among the women of this land, from Hittite women like
these, my life will not be worth living” (Gen. 27:46).

It is likely, as we’ll see,
that the daughters-in-law were a thorn in the side, but Rebekah orchestrates
Isaac’s decision to send Jacob to Laban.

It’s easy to manipulate
situations to come out how we think they should. But, that’s not God’s way. The
manipulator and schemer are always on the edge, always stressed out about how
things will turn out.

God, however, calls us to
rest in Him, to pray without ceasing, to always give thanks.

Trust in the LORD with all
your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge
him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6

It’s so easy to fall into
conniving, and as with Rebekah, God does work life out the way He intends. Yet,
He calls us to rest in Him.